Islamabad is home to the Margalla Hills, the Faisal Mosque, and also to some of the best vegan options in Pakistan. From falafels to kimchi, the following vegan options are bound to have you asking for more whether you’re vegan or not. Here are our top 7 picks for vegan food in Islamabad:
1. This is the first brand in Pakistan to use the two-step-cold-pressed technology
Since the founder of Finesse Beverages (@finessebeverages) is an engineer, all the technology used to manufacture its products is made in-house. The brand currently delivers cold-pressed fruit & vegetable juices, dairy-free smoothies, and plant-based milk across the twin cities. Their best-selling product, betelgeuse, retails at Rs.260 . The price varies depending on the season, however, it normally ranges from Rs.260 to Rs.510 per bottle. Click here to check them out!
2. It took 12 years for the founder of this startup to perfect the recipe
The founder of Aymi Falafel (@aymifalafel) was born and raised in Dubai and moved to Pakistan a few years down the line. Needless to say, he missed everything about his hometown, especially the food, which is what led him to start experimenting with Arabic food. After perfecting his recipes, he quit his day job in Karachi and moved to Islamabad. His startup is now located in G-13/2. Their menu includes falafel, falafel sandwich, mushakkal, hummus, and tahini sauce. Their products lie within the range of Rs.20 and Rs.230. Click here to check them out!
3. This is the only brand that’s doing vegan almond butter
Tania Munir, the founder of Almoatly Organics (@almoatly_organics), got her MSc in marketing and brand management from the UK which is also where she first learned about vegan food. She then returned to Pakistan and launched her brand in the wake of COVID-19. The brand name Almoatly is a combination of the words almonds and oats as those are the two main raw materials for their products. Their products include almond milk, oat milk, almond bites, oat bites, almond butter, almond cream cheese, almond flour, oat flour, almond meal, and chia seed pudding. Their prices range from Rs.335 to Rs.950. Click here to check them out!
4. This founder’s family has come together to get her business up and running
Rameesha Naqi, the founder of Kim Chi (@kimchi.pakistan), started her home-based business after she graduated with her bachelor’s degree. It started with her experimenting with different kimchi recipes until she found one the one which fit her tastebuds perfectly. She decided to turn that into a business when she realized that there could be many other kpop, kdrama, and mukbang fans who would want to try it out but didn’t have the time, energy, or resources to do so. Their vegan cabbage kimchi comes in three size options which include 275 g, 500 g, and 1 kg. Their prices lie between Rs.450 and Rs.1300. Click here to check them out!
5. This founder started her business during her second year of LLB
The Burrow – Sweets & Eats (@at_theburrow) came into being when the founder’s best friend made her Facebook page and her friends and family pushed her to pursue baking as a career because of how good she was at it. As a result, she started her business while being enrolled in LLB and her startup quickly gained momentum on Instagram and she now sells all sorts of customized baked goods. Their vegan options include oat cookies and skinny bread. The prices for their vegan options are Rs.60 and Rs.1600, respectively. Click here to check them out!
6. This homegrown business is run by a mother
Sara Hamza, the name behind Chef Mom (@chefmompk), is a passionate, self-taught baker. She has been baking for over 12 years now and her expertise lies in tea cakes. Maple Nut Banana Bread, Lemon Drizzle Cakes, and Vegan Choco Nut Brownies are some of the vegan options that she offers. The delivery options available are home-delivery and pre-order Buy Fresh, Business Bay Islamabad. Her personal favorite is the Choco Nut Brownies which took 16 tries to perfect. The prices of her vegan options are Rs.1200 and Rs.1250. Click here to check them out!
7. This brand makes the best vegan ice cream in town
VeganEats (@veganeatsisb) was established in 2018. They make 100% vegan products as the name suggests. Orders can be placed through DM’s and they offer pickup only. They offer baked goods, fried goods, and ice cream. Their ice cream flavors include salted caramel with honeycomb, matcha with toasty coconut, Mexican hot chocolate, and many more. DM them for prices. Click here to check them out!
